Business training effort drives growth

Companies completing the flagship program of Scale Up Milwaukee, which seeks to promote business growth in the region, have created nearly 500 jobs since 2013, Scale Up announced Tuesday.

Over the last four years, 57 firms in the region have gone through the “Scalerator,” a six-month program that teaches owners of small businesses, typically with $1 million to $10 million in annual revenue, practical skills to enhance growth.

All told, 56 of those companies (one has gone out of business) have added 482 jobs in southeastern Wisconsin, Scale Up said.

Scale Up was launched in March 2013 by the Greater Milwaukee Committee, with funding help from American Express and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.